Greece's bureaucratic healthcare system has always been corrupt; but austerity measures introduced in the wake of the financial crisis have cut spending by 25 percent -- $12 billion -- bringing the system to its knees. Doctors and the nurses have their paychecks cut by nearly a third. major shortages of drugs are a true problem鈥楾he crisis has actually made a tough situation tougher. It never really was at the point where we worked well but now we have serious shortages of essential materials;' says one doctor Hundreds of thousands of Greeks are now forced not to have a way for basic medical treatment鈥?in many hospitals some were actually harmed by this situation but鈥omewhere in the country I'm sure that patients may have died as a result of this crisis;'IN THE PHOTO A A VICTIM OF AUSTRITY HOSPITAL SOTIRIA -[MEDICAL SHOTAGE]THERE WAS NO MEDCINE FOR THIS PATIENT .